But some of us love our gadgets way more than others do, and are logged on for much longer than the average. These people often retreat into a digital world of gaming, chat rooms, social media, or simply surfing the net, to avoid dealing with difficulties in their lives. So how do you know if you need a digital detox?

Bad habits

Because the internet is so easily accessible, often sitting in our pocket all day, it's not surprising that many of us spend time online purely out of habit.

Clinical psychologist Les Posen recommends doing a self-assessment every few months to put your internet use into perspective.

"Trying asking yourself: 'Is this how I want to conduct my life? Am I really just procrastinating on something else?'" he says.

If you habitually check your emails and social media every few minutes, senior lecturer in psychological science at Swinburne University's Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Dr Ben Williams suggests having periods where you keep your phone, tablet or computer in another room.

If that makes you anxious, "it's probably a sign you need to monitor yourself a bit more closely", he says.

Digital detox checklist

Can I easily log off without feeling stressed or anxious?

Do I feel irritable or stressed when I can't log on; do I feel that logging on will relieve this?

Do I have at least one internet-free evening per week?

Do I spend a lot of time thinking about being online when I'm not logged on?

Do I avoid family or social commitments to spend time online?

Do family, friends, or co-workers nag me about being online; do I lie to them about it?

Do I stay up late or wake up early to log on?

Do I frequently skip meals because I'm online?

Have I been late for work or missed deadlines because of my internet use?

Have I tried to cut back on my internet use and failed?

While it's normal to do these things every so often, if you regularly do four or five of them, it could be an early warning sign of problems with internet use and you should consider trying to cut back, says Williams.

"Scoring high on this quiz doesn't necessarily mean you have a problem, but if technology is causing you distress or leading you to neglect work and family, you might want to seek help from your GP, psychologist or other health-care professional," he says.

How much is too much?

It's hard to determine whether someone's internet use is a serious problem. One of the issues is that experts aren't clear on how much time online is too much. This is because it's different for everyone, depending on their mindset and life circumstances.

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) doesn't officially recognise internet addiction, although it classifies "internet-use disorder" as something that needs to be explored further. But many people working in the field say the condition is real.

Clinical psychologist Jeroen Decates has no doubt it's possible to become addicted to the internet, especially if you suffer from depression and anxiety, are going through hard times, or struggle in social situations.

"Some people feel more competent as a person online than in the real world," he says.

"The difficulty is, if you're living a better life in the digital world, that's when the addictive element kicks in."

There is also some research suggesting that for some us internet addiction can have health effects. Small studies have found that it can disrupt the brain's wiring in a similar way to drug and alcohol addiction; negatively affect dopamine, which relates to the reward system in our brain; and that some people may even have a genetic disposition to developing an addiction.

The researchers found they often use technology to avoid dealing with these issues, which then causes more problems, such as further isolation and disconnection from loved ones, as their internet use grows.

People who are believed to have internet addiction commonly tell lies about the amount of time they spend online, lose contact with friends and family, and neglect social and work responsibilities.

Decates says if you feel your internet use is a problem then you should look at the underlying causes of your internet use.

"Someone will need to build up an identity in the real world, otherwise disconnecting is only going to create more emotional and psychological problems," he says.

Addiction aside, Decates says spending too much time online can affect anyone and leave you feeling irritable, short-tempered, constantly tired, and unable to handle changes in plans or routine.

Physical effects

There are also physical effects of spending too many hours looking at a screen. These include dry eyes or strained vision; back, neck and headaches; sleep problems; and weight gain or weight loss.

Williams says if you're spending long periods of time on the internet, there's a strong chance you aren't doing enough exercise.

"This inactivity can lead to long-term health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity," he warns.

"Recent research is suggesting that just sitting still  at a keyboard, for instance  for long periods is also bad for your health, and early indications are this effect isn't compensated for by doing more exercise later."

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Comments (5)

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Matt :

10 Dec 2013 4:01:24pm

It would be useful if the article included a "what to do" section... ie from self help to professional help for cyber-addiction. People in this situation, and people with loved ones in this situation, need a few pointers.

Just "monitoring yourself a bit more closely" is not very helpful. It's the cyber addiction equivalent of asking someone with depression to "cheer up".